Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a traffic safety system. More specifically, it pertains to an automated motion detection system installed at the entrance to one way streets and highway ramps. If a car begins to enter the one-way street going the wrong way, a barrier rises out of the road, blocking the automobile's path. Other visual and audible alerts may sound, to further deter the driver from continuing. If the driver collides with the barrier, or does not retreat, notification is sent to local authorities, and warning placards placed further down the one-way street will illuminate, thereby notifying other motorists of the danger ahead.
Cities are often full of one-way streets that enable traffic flow in a single direction along their length. Road signs are posted along these streets to indicate the proper flow of traffic. Despite the warnings, motorists occasionally find themselves driving the wrong way down a one-way road. Tourists, impaired persons, and those who are inebriated, may be particularly susceptible to driving against the flow of traffic.
Like one-way streets, highway exit and entrance ramps usually enable traffic flow in only one direction. Exit ramps provide motorists with a thoroughfare for leaving the high-speed traffic of a highway, while entrance ramps provide a stretch of road where motorists can increase their speed prior to entering a highway area. Because of the high speed of travel maintained on highways, exit and entrance ramps are usually occupied by motorists gathering speed or slowing down from a high speed. Serious injury and even death can result from collisions with automobiles and persons on exit and entrance ramps.
Concrete barriers, arm gates, road spikes, and other deterrents are common in restricted areas, to reduce the likelihood that unauthorized users will enter the premises. But these methods are not employed on common through-fares or on highway ramps because the deterrents block a portion of the path, thus slowing the flow of traffic. Such restrictions may be dangerous in high speed areas, as the user has little warning of the impending blockades.
A safety system is needed that warns motorists that they are proceeding the wrong way down a one-way thoroughfare, and then erects a barrier if the motorist fails to stop or retreat from the area.
Description of the Prior Art
The present invention relates to an automated safety system for one-way thoroughfares. A motion detection sensor placed at the entrance of the thoroughfare detects vehicles entering the road from the wrong direction. When a motorist is detected, a barrier is raised or a hinged arm lowered. Audible and visual signals such as flashing lights and alarm whistles are activated to alert the motorist. If the motorist does not cease driving, a camera is activated, photographs the vehicle license plate and transmits the images to local law enforcement. The following list of safety systems is a representative of prior art deemed relevant to the present disclosure. The prior art is presented herein for the purpose of highlighting the benefits of the present invention and differentiating it from the failings of the known art.
Roadblocks come in a variety of sizes and configurations. Some are large solid barriers, others are pivoting arms that can be raised and lowered, some are spikes that rise out of the ground and some are merely collections of brightly colored objects used for visual signaling. These devices can be manually operated or automatically positioned depending on the type of barrier and the need for a permanent deterrent. An example is disclosed in Hensley, U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,638. The Hensley device is one or more underground ballards that can be raised via a human operator's interaction with a spring based extension system or may be raised automatically by the system. Unlike the present invention, the Hensley device does not disclose a means for notifying local authorities nor does it contemplate photographing of a vehicle license plate for identification purposes. A similar device with the same drawbacks is disclosed in Pepe et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,200.
Non-destructive vehicle impediments are also used in the art. These devices employ netting, tire spikes, foam, and other means for slowing a vehicle without causing serious damage to the structural integrity of the automobile. Ousterhout, U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,188 discloses a non-destructive roadblock system having two supports disposed on opposing sides of a road, and a mesh barrier stretched therebetween. When traffic flow is permit, the mesh barrier is lowered into a trench, permitting cars to pass over. When a vehicle is out of control, the barrier is raised so that it can catch the front of the vehicle and slow its momentum. Deceleration may also be aided by deployment of tire spikes from the trench area. This system does not disclose a camera for photographing license plates, or the notification of local authorities.
Another non-lethal vehicle impediment system is discloses in Thompson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,950,870. The Thompson device has a pair of flexible gates that can be deployed one after the other. Impact between a vehicle and the gates transfers energy to the flexible gates, thereby slowing the vehicle. When not in use, the gates are lowered onto the road surface or stored in a trench. The present invention provides additional benefits in that it notifies law enforcement of gate breaches and photographs the license plate of motorists stopped by the system.
These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. They do not notify authorities of collisions with the barrier, nor do they collect any photographic evidence of such collisions. Nor do these devices teach a means for notifying motorists at other points on the road that an accident has occurred ahead. The present invention addresses these shortcomings and provides solutions to each. It substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing traffic safety systems. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.